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Chhagan Bhujbal booked under Prevention of Money Laundering Act

A day after the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) conducted searches at various properties belonging to NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal and his family members, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Wednesday, booked him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.

Reports said that ED has registered two cases against him – details are awaited.

Yesterday, ACB of the Maharashtra Police had searched various properties belonging to the Bhujbal family in Nashik, Mumbai, Thane and Navi Mumbai.

The former PWD minister reacted to the development saying that he was being targeted by the BJP-Shiv Sena government in an unprecedented manner.

The properties searched included ‘Bhujbal Farm’, his farmhouse near Nashik, houses and offices in Nashik and offices at Manmad as well as at Yewla, which he represents in the state Assembly.

In a statement, ACB said there were seven properties in Mumbai, two in Thane, five in Nashik and two in Pune where searches were underway to ascertain the assets owned by Chhagan Bhujbal, his son, MLA Pankaj Bhujbal and nephew Samir Bhujbal.

The searches were conducted simultaneously at the properties belonging to Chhagan Bhujbal and his wife Meena Bhujbal, Pankaj Bhujbal and his wife Vishakha, Samir Bhujbal and his wife Shefali.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that there was no political vendetta in the FIR filed against NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in connection with the Maharashtra Sadan scam.

“An FIR has been filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the raids are part of the investigation. The probe is monitored by the High Court and hence, there is no question of political interference. There is no political vendetta,” Fadnavis said here.

When asked about the alleged discrepancies in educational and marital status information of state Water Supply Minister Babanrao Lonikar, he said the government has no role to play in the matter.

“It is a matter related to election petition and courts are competent (to decide on it),” he said. To a question on the demand for scrapping the Metro-3 project, he said there was no question of doing so.

“A Shiv Sena delegation met me to demand rehabilitation of the project-affected in the same area. They are not demanding that the project be scrapped. Infact, they suggested sites for rehabilitation. We will survey and take a decision on it,” he added.